Vehicle

2007 Mazda 3 s Touring 4dr Hatchback (2.3L 4cyl 5M)

Review

Great driving machine but hard to find a manual. 07 Civic and 07 Corolla have nowhere near the road manners and performance of this one. Smooth and quiet ride but with excellent feel of the road. Acceleration is quite spirited and the quiet cabin belies the speed you are driving at. Braking is amazing! Only car with stability control at this price level. In mixed driving around Seattle I get 400 miles per tank. The hatch has ample cargo volume for hauling. Very easy to attach baby seats with the latch system. Driving at night, with the fog lights on, is a pleasure for tired eyes. The illuminated buttons (audio and cruise) on the steering wheel take a bit of getting used to.

Best Features

Huge glove compartment! Clear and lively sound from the in-dash 6 CD set. Driving with an open moonroof does not generate much noise. Butter smooth manual shifter. Great trunk and under-trunk space utilization. Many small item storage spots.

Worst Features

Gas pedal should be level with the brake and about 1/2 inch to the left. The seats could be a little deeper. A small access panel on the plastic under-engine shield to make the oil filter easily accessible. Need much higher contrast for the instrument panel for daytime driving.